Create the posting
Once the position description has been completed, the position can be posted to the VCU career site. All job openings at VCU must be posted on-line through the VCU career site unless a “waiver request” has been granted as an exception (see Waiver of Search Request for more information). University employee positions must be reviewed by HR prior to the final posting. (See the wiki for detailed instructions on how to post your position.)
Keep in mind that the job posting may be a candidate’s first introduction to both the position and VCU. It should provide compelling information about the position, department and the University. Consider featuring the following information:
Highlight how the position supports the work of the school, business unit and university
Emphasize the opportunities for growth and career advancement
Describe the culture of the school or business unit. Is it an exciting atmosphere? An opportunity to work with experts in the field? Team atmosphere? Casual work environment? Flexible work?
Posting type and hiring range
When creating a posting, it is important to identify the target applicant pool in order to determine the posting type. To determine a target applicant pool, hiring managers should consider the desired skills and/or experience of the applicants for which they are recruiting, budgeted funds and the relevant market job salary ranges. Posting type and hiring range options are listed below:
Job Title Recruitment. A Job Title recruitment allows a department to post and recruit for a very specific level of experience or skill set (for example, Accountant, Level 1). Job Title recruitments may post a hiring salary range within the identified job title market range. Alternatively, departments may post the full market range not to exceed the job title maximum, post a narrow range within the identified market range, or post a single dollar amount.
Multi-Title Recruitment. A Multi-Title recruitment allows departments to post multiple job titles within a job series (Accountant, Level 1, 2, 3) with the final level determined based on the credentials of the selected candidate. When posting Multi-Title recruitments, typically a wide hiring range is posted. The hiring range must fall within the minimum of the Level 1 job title to maximum of the Level 3 job title. Alternatively, a department may choose to post only a maximum or minimum pay threshold or commensurate with experience. Multi-Title postings are the most frequently used in university and academic professional recruitments.
Job Series Recruitment. A Job Series recruitment allows a department to recruit for both the Base Job and Senior Job within a job series (for example, Accountant 1, 2, 3 and Senior Accountant 1, 2, 3) and consider a wide range of candidates and experience levels (from emerging, proficient, accomplished to expert) with the scope of work and responsibilities as well as the final job title and level determined based on the credentials of the selected candidate. Hiring ranges for Job Series recruitments are typically posted as commensurate with experience.
Guidelines for Establishing Posting Ranges
Post a narrow range or single dollar amount, usually due to limited funds (example - grant funded position)
Post a wide range, if willing to consider a wide range of candidates (example – potential to hire at entry level or expert level)
Post at minimum range, if trying to bring up lower paid, qualified employees (example – typically VCU Employees Only search)
Post with the maximum pay (example – Up to $50,000)
Post “Commensurate with Experience” (Budget limitations as well as a range exist, but are not advertised.
Note:
HR Professionals will have the flexibility to offer up to 10% above the posted range (within the pay band) without seeking approval from VCU HR or having to repost the position. Justifications, specifically for options 4 and 5 above, should be explained in the posting. Quality assurance checks will be conducted to ensure compliance.
Applicant pool -- internal vs. external
It is important to determine the target audience for the recruitment. For example, are you seeking applicants with knowledge of VCU specific systems and policies? If so, conducting an internal recruitment, open to VCU employees only, may be most effective. Alternatively, if you want to recruit applicants with a very niche or specific skill set, it may be beneficial to cast a wider net and advertise externally. To encourage promotion from within, departments should consider posting to internal applicants only for the first five days.
Internal recruitment affords existing employees the opportunity to apply for the job opening and can also be linked to succession and career development. Internal recruitment can include promotions to a higher level position as well as lateral moves to a same level position. The benefits of recruiting current VCU employees are:
managers may already have a good idea of the employees’ capabilities;
It rewards employees for past performance;
It shows the University's investment in the employee;
It reduces the amount of time necessary to orient the person to the new position;
It encourages positive morale and retention.
Posting period
Posting length should be commensurate with the type of position being recruited. The minimum posting requirement for internal or local recruitments is five (5) business days. A national search should be posted for thirty (30) calendar days. Executive and senior administrator positions would ordinarily be posted for thirty (30) calendar days and advertised nationally. Consider working with HR to determine the posting length most appropriate for the position.
Restricted positions
Positions pursuant to an explicit requirement that the employment is restricted by the job duties to be performed, a specified time period or availability of funds, including positions funded by grants and contracts, are considered “restricted positions” and are not eligible for workforce reduction or severance benefits as outlined in the Employee Relations section of Working @ VCU: “Great Place” HR Policy. Postings for restricted positions must clearly state the end date or other applicable restrictions.
During the posting process, one question asks: “Is this a restricted position?” The response to this question will be reflected in the job posting that applicants view. If a position is restricted, discuss the implications with applicants when they are interviewed. Explain any lack of workforce reduction and severance benefits to candidates. The employment offer letter will also contain reference to the restricted nature of the position. Contact VCU Human Resources with questions.
Posting-specific questions
Posting-specific questions are an option in the online recruitment system. They may be used to assist with screening and ranking applications.
Consideration of job seekers
VCU strives to attract well-qualified applicants to fill vacant positions. In order to assist schools and units in screening applications, there are appropriate ways to narrow the pool through a standard approach to considering job seekers; sample strategies are below. These guidelines may be particularly helpful in situations where large applicant pools are anticipated due to the nature of the position, length of posting time, a job series recruitment, or other specific business needs. However, there are instances where applicant pools are anticipated to be so large that it is not efficient to consider all applications received. On occasions where schools and units expect an extremely large volume of applications due to the nature of the position, the length of posting time, a full job series recruitment, etc., there are appropriate ways to narrow the pool through a standard approach to considering job seekers; not all applications must be reviewed. Decisions about the way an applicant pool will be reviewed should be documented in the recruitment plan for a position. Sample strategies are below.
Indicate a priority date
When a high volume of applications is expected, schools or units may identify a priority date by which applications submitted will be reviewed, and those submitted after that date may or may not be considered. This date should be published for all applicants to view; any applications received by the priority date must be considered. If a review of the priority candidates does not result in a sufficient, qualified pool to move to the next recruitment round, schools or units may use a consistent approach to review additional applications. For example, the search committee or hiring team may consider all applications submitted the day after the priority date or within five days of the priority date. In this example, once the second date is determined, all applications submitted on or by that new date must be considered.
Use supplemental questions to score applicants’ qualifications
Using supplemental questions to screen applicants’ qualifications based on a position’s minimum hiring standards is strongly encouraged. When this functionality is used, applicants who are not minimally qualified will be eliminated from the pool, eliminating the need for manual review. Supplemental questions may also be used to determine whether job seekers meet the preferred hiring standards of the position. Questions about preferred qualifications may not be used as disqualifiers; however, they may be assigned a point value.